Psalms 106
Psalms 106 is part of “Book IV: The Numbers Book” (90–106) in the outline of Psalms.
Psalms 106 summary
We must give glory to God by making confession, not only of his goodness but our own badness, which serve as foils to each other. Our badness makes his goodness appear the more illustrious, as his goodness makes our badness the more heinous and scandalous. The foregoing psalm was a history of God's goodness to Israel; this is a history of their rebellions and provocations, and yet it begins and ends with Hallelujah; for even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune for praising God. Some think it was penned at the time of the captivity in Babylon and the dispersion of the Jewish nation thereupon, because of that prayer in the close (Psa…
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We must give glory to God by making confession, not only of his goodness but our own badness, which serve as foils to each other. Our badness makes his goodness appear the more illustrious, as his goodness makes our badness the more heinous and scandalous. The foregoing psalm was a history of God's goodness to Israel; this is a history of their rebellions and provocations, and yet it begins and ends with Hallelujah; for even sorrow for sin must not put us out of tune for praising God. Some think it was penned at the time of the captivity in Babylon and the dispersion of the Jewish nation thereupon, because of that prayer in the close (Psa 106:47). I rather think it was penned by David at the same time with the foregoing psalm, because we find the first verse and the last two verses in that psalm which David delivered to Asaph, at the bringing up of the ark to the place he had prepared for it (Ch1 16:34-36), "Gather us from among the heathen;" for we may suppose that in Saul's time there was a great dispersion of pious Israelites, when David was forced to wander. In this psalm we have, I. The preface to the narrative, speaking honour to God (Psa 106:1, Psa 106:2), comfort to the saints (Psa 106:3), and the desire of the faithful towards God's favour (Psa 106:4, Psa 106:5). II. The narrative itself of the sins of Israel, aggravated by the great things God did for them, an account of which is intermixed. Their provocations at the Red Sea (Psa 106:6-12), lusting (Psa 106:13-15), mutinying (Psa 106:16-18), worshipping the golden calf (Psa 106:19-23), murmuring (Psa 106:24-27), joining themselves to Baal-peor (Psa 106:28-31), quarrelling with Moses (Psa 106:32, Psa 106:33), incorporating themselves with the nations of Canaan (Psa 106:34-39). To this is added an account how God had rebuked them for their sins, and yet saved them from ruin (Psa 106:40-46). III. The conclusion of the psalm with prayer and praise (Psa 106:47, Psa 106:48). It may be of use to us to sing this psalm, that, being put in mind by it of our sins, the sins of our land, and the sins of our fathers, we may be humbled before God and yet not despair of mercy, which even rebellious Israel often found with God.
Source: Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706–21; Romans–Revelation completed by Nonconformist ministers). Public domain. Digital text: Free Use Bible API (bible.helloao.org).
Psalms 106 (GNV)
Geneva Bible 1599 (public domain)
Give Thanks to the Lord
1Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord because he is good, for his mercie endureth for euer. 2Who can expresse the noble actes of the Lord, or shewe forth all his prayse? 3Blessed are they that keepe iudgement, and doe righteousnesse at all times. 4Remember me, O Lord, with the fauour of thy people: visite me with thy saluation, 5That I may see the felicitie of thy chosen, and reioyce in the ioy of thy people, and glorie with thine inheritance. 6We haue sinned with our fathers: we haue committed iniquitie, and done wickedly. 7Our fathers vnderstoode not thy wonders in Egypt, neither remembred they the multitude of thy mercies, but rebelled at the Sea, euen at the red sea. 8Neuerthelesse he saued them for his Names sake, that he might make his power to be knowen. 9And he rebuked the red Sea, and it was dryed vp, and he led them in the deepe, as in the wildernesse. 10And he saued them from ye aduersaries hand, and deliuered them from ye hand of the enemie. 11And the waters couered their oppressours: not one of them was left. 12Then beleeued they his wordes, and sang prayse vnto him. 13But incontinently they forgate his workes: they wayted not for his counsell, 14But lusted with concupiscence in the wildernes, and tempted God in the desert. 15Then he gaue them their desire: but he sent leannesse into their soule. 16They enuied Moses also in the tentes, and Aaron the holy one of the Lord. 17Therefore the earth opened and swallowed vp Dathan, and couered the companie of Abiram. 18And the fire was kindled in their assembly: the flame burnt vp the wicked. 19They made a calfe in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. 20Thus they turned their glory into the similitude of a bullocke, that eateth grasse. 21They forgate God their Sauiour, which had done great things in Egypt, 22Wonderous woorkes in the lande of Ham, and fearefull things by the red Sea. 23Therefore he minded to destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stand in the breach before him to turne away his wrath, least he shoulde destroy them. 24Also they contemned that pleasant land, and beleeued not his worde, 25But murmured in their tentes, and hearkened not vnto the voice of the Lord. 26Therefore hee lifted vp his hande against them, to destroy them in the wildernesse, 27And to destroy their seede among the nations, and to scatter them throughout the countries. 28They ioyned themselues also vnto Baalpeor, and did eate the offrings of the dead. 29Thus they prouoked him vnto anger with their owne inuentions, and the plague brake in vpon them. 30But Phinehas stoode vp, and executed iudgement, and the plague was staied. 31And it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes from generation to generation for euer. 32They angred him also at the waters of Meribah, so that Moses was punished for their sakes, 33Because they vexed his spirite, so that hee spake vnaduisedly with his lippes. 34Neither destroied they the people, as the Lord had commanded them, 35But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their workes, 36And serued their idoles, which were their ruine. 37Yea, they offered their sonnes, and their daughters vnto deuils, 38And shed innocent blood, euen the blood of their sonnes, and of their daughters, whome they offred vnto the idoles of Canaan, and the lande was defiled with blood. 39Thus were they steined with their owne woorkes, and went a whoring with their owne inuentions. 40Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, and he abhorred his owne inheritance. 41And hee gaue them into the hande of the heathen: and they that hated them, were lordes ouer them. 42Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were humbled vnder their hand. 43Many a time did hee deliuer them, but they prouoked him by their counsels: therefore they were brought downe by their iniquitie. 44Yet hee sawe when they were in affliction, and he heard their crie. 45And he remembred his couenant towarde them and repented according to the multitude of his mercies, 46And gaue them fauour in the sight of all them that lead them captiues. 47Saue vs, O Lord our God, and gather vs from among the heathen, that we may praise thine holy Name, and glorie in thy praise. 48Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer, and let all the people say, So be it. Praise yee the Lord.